Week two wonders

By Richard Ross
September 14, 2011 —

SULLIVAN COUNTY, NY — Most pundits predicted that Monticello would get off to an 0-3 start after losing 40-7 to Class AA Pine Bush in week one. But the Panthers shocked Section 9’s third-ranked Class AA behemoth Minisink Valley (M-V), defeating the Warriors 37-28 with 533 yards of total offense.

Quarterback Shane Jackson was 26/183 yards on the ground and threw for 12/21/233 yards, as Anthony Gray hauled in a trio of TD passes. Monticello led 25-7 early in the third quarter before the resurgent Warriors scored 21 unanswered points. The Monties defied the adversity to score twice more by game’s end while holding M-V at bay. Monticello’s line play on both sides of the ball was outstanding. Monticello (1-1) will travel to Cornwall (2-0) on September 17 to face the daunting Dragons in their first league encounter.

Sullivan West hoped to make its home opener a joyous one as they took on Class D Chester in a non-league tilt. The Dawgs opened with a 62-yard jaunt by Tom Mootz, but Chester senior Saxon Smith answered with a 67-yard score. By night’s end, Smith would tally six touchdowns and 331 rushing yards as Chester defeated the Bulldogs 42-28. Bulldog TDs came from Kitt Borowski on a 41-yard pass from E.J. Franskevicz, a 30-yard run by Mootz and a 44-yard fumble recovery from Sawyer Erlwein. The Bulldogs (1-1) host Ellenville in Lake Huntington on 9/16 for their first league game.

Eldred blanked Fallsburg 32-0. Jordan Tice had 117 rushing yards and an 80-yard kickoff return. Anthony Margarum had a pair of TDs and Adam Schoch added a score for the Yellow Jackets (1-1). Fallsburg fell to 0-2. Eldred hosts Livingston Manor/Roscoe (LM/R) under the lights on September 15.
Liberty improved to 2-0 with a resounding 42-6 win over LM/R.

Marshon Williams had 10 carries for 66 yards and threw a TD pass to Ryan Henry. Anthony Covington rushed for 90 yards and had a 29-yard TD run. Fallsburg transfer Kenny Jaycox scored on a 73-yard run. Mike Mills provided LM/R with its only score. Liberty hosts O’Neill in a league clash on September 17.

Tri-Valley (1-1, 1-0 Class C) beat Pine Plains 20-0. Cody Exner rushed for two TDs and Joe Mickelson added another in the league win. Exner was 9/87 yards on the ground and scored on runs of 31 and eight yards. Mickelson (13/54) scored on an eight-yard jaunt. Tri-Valley travels to Chester (2-0) on September 16.